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Are you still throwing out those empty cans from last night’s party? If yes, then wait a minute! Did you know that recycling one ‘aluminum can’ saves enough energy to run a TV for three hours? It’s the same with all the paper and packaging material you throw away. Recycling one ton of paper can save 17 trees! Not only this, recycling comes with a price but here you will be the one who's earning.

Now you must be wondering how this is possible. So, let me introduce to you some of the interesting startups which are bringing social change by catering this space.

Turn trash into Cash

The ever evolving startup space coupled with technological innovation has led to the creation of various business models and ventures that are truly unique and are harbingers of social change.

One such unique start-up is POM POM, a web-based recycling platform that helps you to dispose recyclable waste in a responsible manner at your doorstep, while paying you the best possible price for the same.

Founded by Deepak Sethi and Kishor K Thakur, POM POM has started its operations in South Delhi and will be addressing the disposal needs of more than 1,000,000 individuals producing large quantities of recyclable waste every day.

The best part about this startup is that it is all done via a quick call, message or putting in a request via the mobile app.

“We believe that if we incentivize people to segregate at source this problem could be solved to a great extent. We not only intend to ease out the process for our valuable customers but also make them feel that they are contributing towards their society and towards Swachh Bharat Abhiyan by taking this one simple step with us,” Deepak Sethi, Co-founder and CEO, Pom Pom Recycling Pvt Ltd.

The only way to reuse it is by up cycling them

Founded in April 2014, this Mumbai-based startup longs to ‘create profitable venture through environment sustainability’. The Upcycle Project endeavours to create beautiful quirky lifestyle, home decor, and gifting products by using what one might call “trash”. They primarily use old Vinyl records and carve it out into posters, key chains, key holders and what not.

Passionate about changing perceptions around waste and making it fun and acceptable, the team hopes to inspire creativity and boundless imagination while looking at unrecyclable waste in urban homes, through well designed and high utility products that are affordable.

They extract pure metals from end- of-life electronics in an environmentally responsible manner. As a NASA recognized technology innovator, they have developed disruptive technology that allows them to set up low cost, low capacity eco-friendly recycling plants for processing e-Waste and extracting rare earth and precious metals.

Moreover, they also offer services like country-wide pick up, collection and tracking of electronic assets, reverse logistics management, electronics asset recovery, data security, refurbishment, e-waste recycling and disposal. They have launched an e-commerce platform that acts as a dedicated retail channel for the direct sale of refurbished and surplus electronics to consumers.

Sell your scrap in style

Searching for scarp dealer to sell your paper, books and magazines, plastics, e-waste or household metal? If yes, than with the help of this startup you can sell your used stuff by just going online.

EnCashea provides an online platform to its users to sell their scarp in a style. They make selling scrap fun while ensuring safe and environment-friendly disposal of all types of scrap and recyclable material.

They collect recyclable scrap, old newspapers, electronic wastes, old plastics, metals and other scrap materials from your doorstep and give you handsome money for them.

Turning useless device for someone into a useful device for someone else

Founded in 2013, Karma Recycling was born with the philosophy that a useless device for someone can turn into a useful device for someone else. Realizing that the e-waste that is negatively impacting our environment could positively be stimulating the economy, they choose to reuse mobile devices. The venture buys old gadgets from tier 1 cities and resells them in semi urban cities.

So, next time if you are going to throw any junk, just think once. You never know that junk could turn into someone 's else useful device or it can even make you earn some handsome money.